NEW HAVEN >> To break a course record, for the majority of the golfing population, is an accomplishment of a lifetime, one worthy of epic celebration.

For Oklahoma State’s Jordan Niebrugge, it’s merely another notch on the golf bag.

His score of 62 on Friday was lowest in the 89-year history of the Course at Yale, one of the oldest and most prestigious college golf courses in the nation. It also vaulted him into first place at the NCAA Championships’ New Haven Regional. At minus-6 through 36-holes, he leads South Florida’s Rigel Fernandes by one stroke heading into

Saturday’s final round.

Niebrugge did find time to celebrate the historic round. If jumping into a van with his Cowboy teammates for quick lunch at Bruegger’s Bagels before returning for extra work on the driving range qualifies as celebration.

Not that he wasn’t thrilled with his record-setting performance. It’s just that he’s done this a few times before. So often, he had to double check the math. But Niebrugge is fairly certain Friday’s round marks the seventh time he’ shattered an existing course record.

Yale has seen a steady parade of professionals parade through since opening for business in 1926. Legend has it Sam Snead, after using his pitching wedge from the edge of the green, stalked off in anger after being reprimanded by course superintendent Harry Meusel. John Daly made a mockery of Yale’s par-5s while on the Ben Hogan Tour, once scoring an eagle on the 18th, which played 602 yards back in 1990.

David Duval, Stewart Cink, Jeff Maggert and Tom Lehman were among those unable to best Jon Christian’s record 63, notched during the 1992 Connecticut Open.

“It’s awesome,” says Niebrugge. “It’s a great round of golf and it’s always fun to play well anywhere, especially to do it in a regional.”

On Thursday, Niebrugge shot a 2-over 72 as only four players broke par. Scores were a bit better on Friday, though no one else shot better than a 67. Vanderbilt’s Matthias Schwab, at minus-4,

Northwestern’s Dylan Wu (minus-2) trail Niebrugge and Fernandes.

South Florida remained atop the team standings, at minus-3 opening up a comfortable nine shot lead over the closest competitor, North Carolina State. San Diego State, Vanderbilt and Oklahoma State round out the top five. The top five teams and lowest scoring individual not on those five teams advance to the NCAA Championships in two weeks at Bradenton, Florida.

Niebrugge, a junior from Mequon, Wisconsin, has just one career college victory. But he boasts several other noteworthy milestones on his career resume. In 2013, after his freshman season at Oklahoma State, he won four straight amateur titles, including the U.S. Amateur Public Links championship, which paved the way to his spot on the Walker Cup team.

His Public Links title also earned him a spot in the field of the 2014 Masters, where six-time green jacket winner Jack Nicklaus pulled him aside to break down each hole.

“Playing in the Masters was a dream come true,” Niebrugge said. “If I went back again, I’d actually be able to compete in it rather than just being there. I learned a lot from that experience.”

Niebrugge, an athletic 6-foot-4 former high school basketball and baseball player, has a bright future in golf, something his Oklahoma State coach, Alan Bratton, has seen develop the past three years. In addition to his physical skills, Niebrugge is mentally tough. “He’s good under pressure,” Bratton said. “He was a closer when he played baseball, so that gives you a hint of his mentality. And he’s talented. He need to continue to wedge the ball better, and do the things he did today, showing patience and maturity when you get in

certain places, firing away from flags when you get in position. But certainly, the sky is the limit.”